Box Scores
W 6-4
L 11-2

ESU Baseball Record Book (PDF)

LOCK HAVEN – Senior catcher Steven Zimmerman, Jr. had a two-out, three-run double in the top of the seventh inning, giving East Stroudsburg University a 6-4 win in the opener, but Lock Haven won the nightcap 11-2 for a doubleheader split in PSAC East baseball on Saturday.

ESU (22-21, 11-15) and Lock Haven (22-19, 12-14) both finished their seasons, with the final doubleheader canceled after both teams were removed from PSAC Tournament contention – both by the split, and Shippensburg's four-game sweep of Kutztown that gave Ship the PSAC East's fourth and final postseason spot. ESU took 3-of-4 vs. Ship last weekend.

Zimmerman's bases-clearing double, with the Warriors down to their last out, gives ESU a winning record for the 10th straight season, the program's longest stretch since 1951 through 1965.

The Warriors had qualified for the PSAC Tournament in six of the previous eight years since 2010, including the 2013 PSAC championship, and had made three straight trips for the first time in school history. Head coach John Kochmansky, in his 11th season, earned his 300th career win this spring (309-224-2 - .579 win percentage).

Zimmerman finishes his career as the top catcher in program history, earning All-PSAC East honors as a sophomore and junior with this year's team set to be released next week. He ranks in the top 10 in school history in eight categories – including a school-record 22 home runs.

Redshirt junior OF Christian Rishel hit a two-run double in the first inning, and sophomore OF Carson Freeman hit a solo homer in the third inning – his seventh of the season, and the 10th of his career.

Lock Haven scored twice in the first inning, then went ahead with a two-run single in the sixth, before ESU rallied.

Zimmerman's double followed leadoff walks by senior OF Laine Renaud (replaced by pinch-runner Tom Nuneviller) and sophomore SS Joey Paolini. After a sacrifice bunt by freshman 2B Brainy Rojas, redshirt junior PJ Van Orman drew a pinch-hit walk to load the bases. Freeman struck out, but Zimmerman found the left-center gap off closer Breton LaRose for the game-tying and go-ahead runs.

Redshirt senior left-hander Mike Pepio, who relieved sophomore Connor Johnson (5.1 IP, 4 runs, 3 earned, 7 hits, 3 strikeouts, 4 walks) in the sixth inning, threw a 1-2-3 seventh against the LHU 4-5-6 hitters to earn the win.

In the nightcap, ESU scored two in the second on a walk, error, wild pitch and sacrifice fly but was unable to push anything else across against Scott Leitholf, who threw a complete game (7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 hits, 5 strikeouts, 2 walks) for LHU.

Sophomore Evan Steele was effective as ESU's starter, going 4.1 innings (3 runs, 8 hits, 3 strikeouts, 1 walk), including getting a double play to erase a bases-loaded situation in the second inning, but LHU got one in the third, three in the fifth and closed it with seven in the sixth.

Liam McArthur was 6-for-7 in the leadoff spot to lead Lock Haven offensively in the doubleheader.

Zimmerman closes his career ranked 1st in home runs (22) and hit by pitch (36), 7th in extra-base hits (59), 11th in total bases (261), t-10th in doubles (33), t-7th in RBI (114), t-9th in runs (129), 9th in walks (81), t-11th in times reached base (271) and t-10th in games played (179).

He ranks 19th with 154 hits, second-most among catchers, and leads ESU catchers in doubles, HR, extra-base hits, total bases, RBI, runs, HBP, times reached base and games played.

Rishel led ESU in batting (.342), followed by freshman 3B Brock Kauffman (.331), who had a team-high 43 hits, Zimmerman (.313), Freeman (.313) and Renaud (.306).

Zimmerman had a season line of .313/.434/.560 and a career line of .304/.428/.516, ranking 7th at ESU in slugging percentage among four-year players.

Renaud had a .619 slugging percentage this season, leading ESU in home runs (9) and RBI (36), and ranks t-10th at ESU in career slugging percentage (.563) as a two-year player.

Freeman hit seven homeruns, followed by Zimmerman with six, junior OF Zarley Cina with five and Rishel and Paolini with four each. ESU's 39 home runs are tied for third-most in school history.

On the mound, Pepio lowered his season ERA to 2.43 in 37.0 innings, appearing in 20 of ESU's 43 games in relief.

Redshirt freshman Nate Fiala tied ESU's freshman wins record with a 5-1 record, posting a 3.69 ERA in 39.0 innings across 17 appearances (three starts).

Johnson, who threw a four-hitter for his first career shutout in last weekend's series opener vs. Shippensburg, made 12 starts and threw a team-high 55.2 innings, posting a 3.72 ERA with 48 strikeouts and just 15 walks.

Freeman had a dual line of 3-2 with a 4.50 ERA in 30.0 innings (7 games, 6 starts) on the mound, and hit .313/.361/.567 with 19 extra-base hits, 31 RBI, 27 runs and 18 stolen bases.

Steele struck out 60 in 45.2 innings, with a hard-luck record of 2-7 with a 5.12 ERA.

GAME NOTES
* Zimmerman threw out 37 percent (45-of-123) base stealers in his career.
* He finished with 1,003 career putouts, the most in school history and first with 1,000.